Subaru BRZ

Subaru are a pretty clever company. They don't over manufacture their vehicles and they share their cars all around the world. The market for Subaru in Ireland is not large, but their reputation is generally good. They've had some pretty iconic vehicles. Most notably the Impreza. While Ireland wouldn’t be as familiar with the BRZ as it was with the Impreza, we have to say…. this is a nice little car.

Performance

The Subaru BRZ is the only Subaru offering in Ireland that doesn't come with all-wheel drive. This is a rear wheel drive. Subaru have kept things very simple for the Irish market, they are only offering one trim and one engine. This is a 2.0 litre, 4- cylinder petrol. It gives 199 bhp and will bring you from 0-100km/h in 7.6 seconds. This car has a top speed of 226km/h and Subaru reckons that the average fuel economy is just 7.8 l/100km. The bad news for potential customers is that it burns 181 g/co2, which means it costs €750 per annum in road tax at today’s rates.

Ride & Handling

On the road the suspension is firm and you can certainly feel the bumps as you rustle over rough terrain. However, this car has plenty of grip and its steering is excellent. If you get a chance to try this out on a track, we reckon you will knock some good fun out of it.

Refinement

Refinement was not on the top of the to-do list when they created this car. It suffers a bit from road noise. We also thought that the gear changes were a bit rough. However, this roughness around the edges might appeal to Subaru sports car traditionalists.

Quality & Reliability

The driving position in this vehicle is excellent, and the dash is kept very simple. It may look basic, but we’re not sure if there is much that we’d change. The seats are comfortable enough too.

Safety & Security

This car has not been tested for the Euro NCAP. It comes with plenty of airbags and has traction and stability control.

Space & Practicality

You would not really get any adults into the two seats in the back of this vehicle – if you did, they might complain. You might get a couple of child seats in there though. The front area is perfectly sized. The boot is small too, offering just 218 litres. With that said, this car will not be purchased for its practicalities.